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  • British Gas - Late Payment Markers On 6+ Year Old Debt

    Good morning all and thank you for letting me join the forum. I was wondering if somebody could help me with some advice about late payment markers on my credit reference accounts. Sorry if it's a bit long.

    I moved house in January 2016 (so over 6 years ago) and my gas supplier at the old house was British Gas. I genuinely believed I was all paid up for my gas supply but have just found out that they say I still owe them £350 for my finalised bill / reading. This has only just come to light because I applied for a car loan which was declined. They have never contacted me about this o/s balance and my post was redirecting from the moment I moved so I genuinely don't believe they issued a final bill in the 6 months after I moved as I would have seen it and acted on it.

    I requested my credit file and it is showing late payments markers (Status 6) continuously on my British Gas account from as far back as July 2016. I have contacted British Gas and they have said they will accept payment of the balance and my account status will show as up to date from this month, but they won't do anything about the historic late payment markers on my credit file (there are literally more than 6 years worth).

    Some additional info is that my account was never defaulted by them and whilst they have never made contact with me in the 6 years, I can see from my credit file that they have made trace searches against my current address - so they they know full well where I am and how they could have contacted me.

    So, my questions are these:
    - Are they allowed to show and continue to add late payment markers continuosly like this? If I pay the balance today, it will still take another 6 years for all of the late payment markers to disappear from my credit records?
    - The debt started in January 2016 (when I moved) and reached overdue status 6 in June 2016 - so more than 6 years ago. I thought old accounts drop off your credit report and cannot be viewed after 6 years (so June 2022?) but they've just kept adding 'Payment 6 months overdue' markers to my file in July, August and September this year and any potential lender can still see a rolling 6 years of late payment status 6 markers (even if I pay British Gas)?

    Is there anything I can do in this situation?

    Thanks in advance.


  • #2


    If you haven't received an accurate gas or electricity bill for over a year, you might not have to pay for all the energy you've used. Under 'back billing' rules, your supplier cannot send you a bill for energy you used more than 12 months ago.


    six years old
    Under Ofgem rules, an energy supplier can't chase debts which are more than a year old if it was at fault. However administrators can chase debts which are up to six years old, meaning consumers could suddenly be stung with bills dating from several years before. Rules around customers' ability to pay.
    Last edited by The Tech Clerk; 27 September 2022, 10:58.
    I'm an official AAD Moderator and also a volunteer, here to help make the forum run smoothly. Any views or opinions are mine and not the official line of AAD. Similarly, any advice I have offered you is done so on an informal basis, without prejudice or liability. If in doubt seek advice from a qualified insured professional - Find a Solicitor or go to the National Probono Centre.

    If you spot an abusive or libellous post then please report it by Clicking Here. If you need to contact me, for instance if I've issued you a warning, moved, edited or deleted your post, please send me a message by clicking my username.

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    • #3
      Check the energy back-billing rules - Ofgem

      I'm an official AAD Moderator and also a volunteer, here to help make the forum run smoothly. Any views or opinions are mine and not the official line of AAD. Similarly, any advice I have offered you is done so on an informal basis, without prejudice or liability. If in doubt seek advice from a qualified insured professional - Find a Solicitor or go to the National Probono Centre.

      If you spot an abusive or libellous post then please report it by Clicking Here. If you need to contact me, for instance if I've issued you a warning, moved, edited or deleted your post, please send me a message by clicking my username.

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi and thanks for the replies TTC.

        I’m not so much concerned about paying the debt, it’s the fact that they’ve destroyed my credit report with late payment markers. Is there a point at which they’re obliged to stop adding new markers?

        Comment


        • #5
          as far as I know that if a default fact then it stays regardless for 6 years eng/wales 5 years scotland but has to be accurate occurance
          Last edited by The Tech Clerk; 26 September 2022, 16:24.
          I'm an official AAD Moderator and also a volunteer, here to help make the forum run smoothly. Any views or opinions are mine and not the official line of AAD. Similarly, any advice I have offered you is done so on an informal basis, without prejudice or liability. If in doubt seek advice from a qualified insured professional - Find a Solicitor or go to the National Probono Centre.

          If you spot an abusive or libellous post then please report it by Clicking Here. If you need to contact me, for instance if I've issued you a warning, moved, edited or deleted your post, please send me a message by clicking my username.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by The Tech Clerk View Post

            If you haven't received an accurate gas or electricity bill for over a year, you might not have to pay for all the energy you've used. Under 'back billing' rules, your supplier cannot send you a bill for energy you used more than 12 months ago.

            ??????
            six years old
            Under Ofgem rules, an energy supplier can't chase debts which are more than a year old if it was at fault. However administrators can chase debts which are up to six years old, meaning consumers could suddenly be stung with bills dating from several years before. Rules around customers' ability to pay.
            Back Billing? BUT there was I believe a Court Case whether this could or couldn't apply I don't know but you could talk to Colin G Quinn

            So follow up on The Tech Clerk
            https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/check-energ...-billing-rules

            Curtesy of Colin G Quinn
            I mentioned it here
            https://all-about-debt.co.uk/forum/d...08#post1545008
            ".. There was a recent CASE where if the Debt was UE then the account couldn't be reported! .."

            Found Colin's entry re above

            https://all-about-debt.co.uk/forum/d...87#post1544187

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